AMPK

Cancer

AMPK and CancerAMPK activation inhibits mTORC1 signaling, which leads to inhibition of translation of many proteins required for rapid cell growth. AMPK activation also inhibits the synthesis of most cellular macromolecules, including fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol, glycogen, ribosomal RNA and proteins which in turn inhibit cell growth. AMPK activation also causes cell cycle arrest by stabilizing p53 and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21WAF1 and p27CIP1. In addition, AMPK activation supresses the Warburg effect which is the switch away from oxidative metabolism and towards rapid glucose uptake and glycolysis characteristic of most tumour cells.